A Timeline of The BCCI and Lodha Committee Reforms Case in The Supreme Court of India - Cricket

A timeline of the BCCI and Lodha committee reforms case in the Sup... about:reader?url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/india/content/story/10...
espncricinfo.com
Nagraj Gollapudi
21-27 minutes
In January 2016, Justice RM Lodha and his committee had suggested

widespread reforms to the way the BCCI functions Getty Images
On July 18, 2016, the Supreme Court passed its final order on the case
involving the BCCI and its implementation of the Lodha Committee's
recommendations.
The Court had appointed the committee in January 2015 to look into the
functioning of the Indian board and suggest changes to its constitution.
On January 4, 2016, RM Lodha, the former Chief Justice of India,

unveiled the three-man committee's recommendations, which shook the
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hierarchy of BCCI and its member associations. Consequently, the BCCI

and various state associations approached the Supreme Court raising
objections to the recommendations.
The final order of the two-judge bench comprising TS Thakur, the Chief
Justice of India, and Justice Ibrahim Kalifulla, signed off on most of the
Lodha proposals, setting in motion a major revamp of the way cricket is
run in India.
The following is a summary of the case from the time the committee was
appointed.
Apr 14, 2015 - 82 questions for BCCI
The Lodha panel sends an 82-point questionnaire to the BCCI to

understand how it functions and how it runs cricket in India.
The questions were split into eight sections and covered an exhaustive
set of topics from the role of the BCCI's stakeholders to the board's
election processes, the basis and formation of its various committees,
player welfare, conflict of interest and transparency in the IPL's
functioning.
Jan 4, 2016 - Sweeping reforms unveiled
The Lodha committee recommends a complete overhaul of Indian

cricket - from the very top down to the grassroots - affecting all its
stakeholders.
With special focus on BCCI's governance and administrative structures,

rather than its cricketing operations, the most important set of
recommendations aims at transforming the board's power structure. The
committee recommends one-state-one-vote, suggests clear and
stringent eligibility criteria for the board's office bearers and sets limits on
their tenure in office. Serving ministers and bureaucrats or those above
70 years of age are not allowed to hold positions on the board nor in
their state associations.
Setting up of a players' association
Taking cognizance of the fact India are the only country to not have a
players' body, the Lodha committee recommends the formation of a
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players' association.
A four-member standing committee chaired by former union home

secretary GK Pillai and comprising former India cricketers Mohinder
Amarnath, Anil Kumble and Diana Edulji, is appointed to "identify and
invite all eligible ex-cricketers to be members, to open bank accounts,
receive funds from the BCCI, conduct the first elections for office
bearers, communicate the names of BCCI player nominees to the
board."
Jan 7, 2016 - BCCI takes the first steps to acknowledge Lodha

report
Three days after the Lodha committee report became public, Anurag
Thakur, BCCI secretary at the time, sends an e-mail to all state
associations asking them to study the report, determine how it affects
each of them individually and submit their findings to the board by
January 31.
Feb 4, 2016 - Supreme Court sets deadline for BCCI
Having noticed the BCCI and the state associations delaying their formal
response to the Lodha committee recommendations, the Supreme Court
sets March 3rd as the deadline for the board to make their stance clear
one way or another. "If you have any difficulty in implementing it [the
reforms] we will have the Lodha Committee implement it for you,"
Justice Thakur tells the BCCI counsel, a view he repeated several times.
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Anurag Thakur and the BCCI had accepted some of the changes that were
recommended, but were adamantly against others like the one-state-one-vote
and an age cap on administrators PTI
Feb 5, 2016 - BCCI continues to drag its feet
Without spelling his exact reservations, Thakur says the board is

justified in taking time to study the Lodha committee's report.
"We need to understand it is not a one-page report. It is a detailed

report, which will have a lot of consequences on the working and the
functioning of the BCCI. A committee has taken close to 12 months to
come up with it. We are taking close to two months to discuss, debate,
and after deliberations come to a consensus to implement that report.
"When the report came, I wrote a letter to all the state associations to
call their meetings. Many state associations have already held their
managing committee or working committee meetings. They are going to
have their special general meetings before the BCCI's special general
meeting in the third week of February. So I think it is a due process. We
are not slow at all. We are not shying away. We are not looking at any
escape route."
Two days later, the BCCI finally calls for an SGM to discuss the Lodha
report
Feb 19, 2016 - BCCI points out 'anomalies' in Lodha report
More questions than answers arise when BCCI responds to the Lodha
report. Its members cite "anomalies and difficulties" in implementing the
recommendations. Thakur is asked to file an affidavit to counter the
Lodha report in the Supreme Court.
Feb 22, 2016 - Mumbai Cricket Association approaches SC
The state associations prepare to fire salvos against the Lodha

commmittee. Mumbai Cricket Association, one of the oldest members of
the BCCI, files an intervention stating the one-state-one-vote
recommendation hurts the MCA.
Mar 2, 2016 - BCCI details reservations against Lodha report
Two days before the Supreme Court deadline, the BCCI files its affidavit,
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stating it has implemented some of the recommendations - appointing

an ombudsman, addressing the issue of conflict of interest and
advertising for a chief executive officer, a chief financial officer and other
top management positions - but also lists several it does not agree with -
the one-state-one-vote rule, age cap of 70 years for an office-bearer or a
board official, limits on an office bearer's and restriction on
advertisements during Tests and ODIs.
Mar 3, 2016 - Court takes exception to BCCI views
Although the Court says it will ask the Lodha committee to reconsider
some of the suggestions, it does not take pleasantly to the BCCI's
continued reluctance to change.
On Thakur saying he was not consulted before the recommendations

were finalised, the bench asks: "It was international news that we had
formed the Justice Lodha committee to suggest reforms in cricket. The
whole world knew it. Now you come to us and say the recommendations
were a bolt from the blue for you and you were not consulted... What
were you doing? Waiting at the fence for a written invitation?"
Responding to the BCCI counsel's argument that a cap on

advertisements during a match would "cripple" the board's income,
Justice Thakur asks: "Do you mean that your commerce should overtake
the enjoyment of the game?"
Apr 5, 2016 - Court slams BCCI's method of disbursing funds
Having asked the BCCI and its state associations for an audited account
of their books over the last five years and finding disparities in the
distribution of funds between members, the Court slams the Indian
board. "You function like 'show me the face; I will make the payment...'
[The] impression that one gets is that you are practically corrupting the
persons by not demanding how the money is spent... [It's] like the
moment you want a vote and their hands will go up," Justice Thakur
says.
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The BCCI appointed Justice AP Shah as ombudsman in November 2015

Hindustan Times
Apr 8, 2016 - 'Are you refusing to be reformed?'
When BCCI counsel KK Venugopal says the board is beyond the

purview of the Supreme Court since it is a trust, Justice Thakur
counters, "What we understand is that you are suggesting that 'I am
answerable to Registrar of Societies. I will be accountable only to
Registrar of the Society. I will be amenable to criminal law but I will not
reform. Don't ask me to reform.'
"Is it possible? What have you done? We have seen the allegations of
match-fixing and betting. You have no control over these. But you give
money in crores. The Lodha committee has said something. It has been
said to make the functioning more transparent and visible and the effort
is to reform the BCCI."
Apr 19, 2016 - Court rebuffs BCCI take on one-state-one-vote
When counsel for Baroda Cricket Association says implementing the

one-state-one-vote recommendation would lead to "enormous politics"
within the board, the bench disagrees. "You are right. Seven votes will
come to northeast where there is no cricket that we know [of]. But we
don't know the game of seven votes. Can you elaborate what the politics
will be?"
Apr 26, 2016 - BCCI 'running a prohibitory regime'
The Court continues to use stern language with regard to BCCI and its
state associations. "You are running a prohibitory regime, which is
spread across the country," it says. "You have complete monopoly. If any
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cricket club or association wants to do anything, we are least bothered.

We are not here to reform every cricketing club. But if any institution
which is discharging public duty like BCCI, then any organisation or
association associated with it will have to reform itself."
Apr 29, 2016 - Court firm on the age cap of 70 for administrators
"Why do you want to hold on to the reign for such a long time? Even the
Supreme Court judges retire at 65," Thakur tells Arvind Datar, senior
counsel for the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA). "You have been
given five more years. You had a president [the late Jagmohan Dalmiya]
who could not speak, could not communicate. Those who elected him [in
2015] did not see whom they were electing? These days, even in politics
people are retiring."
Saying the Lodha committee is competent and can perform the "surgery"
to repair Indian cricket administration, the court tells the counsel for
Odisha Cricket Association: "After a certain age they [people over 70]
must retire and do something else. They cannot head a society
managing sports."
May 2, 2016 - 'State associations will have to fall in line with Lodha
reforms'
The Court makes it categorically clear that the BCCI and all of its state
associations will have to implement the Lodha reforms.
"Once the BCCI is reformed it will go down the line and all cricket
associations will have to reform themselves if they want to associate
with it. The committee constituted in the wake of match-fixing and
spot-fixing allegations was a serious exercise and not a futile exercise,"
the two-judge bench says in response to an intervention plea filed by the
Haryana Cricket Association stating the Lodha Committee's remit was to
only recommend changes.
May 3, 2016 - 'BCCI constitution incapable of achieving

transparency'
The Court says the BCCI constitution is "highly incapable of achieving

the values of transparency, objectivity and accountability [such] that
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without changing its structure it can't be done so."
June 30, 2016 - SC decision on Lodha panel report likely in three

weeks
The Supreme Court reserves its judgement in the case concerning

implementation of the Lodha Committee recommendations by the BCCI.
There is to be no further hearing in the case and the two-judge bench
will submit the written judgement to the concerned parties before July
22.
July 18, 2016 - SC accepts majority of the Lodha recommendations
The Supreme Court rules in favour of implementing a majority of the

Lodha Committee proposals, and gives the BCCI between four and six
months to implement them. Lodha, the court says, will oversee the
implementation process.
July 20, 2016 - CAB, KSCA call off elections
The Lodha Committee asks the BCCI to direct all state associations to
put their annual elections on hold. Consequently, the Cricket Association
of Bengal (CAB) and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA)
postpone their elections.
The Lodha Committee had written to BCCI CEO Rahul Johri that only routine
affairs could be handled at the AGM Sajjad Hussain/AFP
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July 21, 2016 - Lodha Committee clarifies nine-year cap for state
administrators
The Lodha Committee makes it clear that office bearers, across the
BCCI and state associations, who have completed nine years in the job
cumulatively stand disqualified and cannot contest for another term.
July 24, 2016 - Sharad Pawar announces he will step down as

Mumbai Cricket Association president
Sharad Pawar becomes the first high-profile name to say he will step
down as MCA president in accordance with the Lodha Committee
recommendations.
August 2, 2016 - BCCI appoints legal panel to liaise with Lodha

Committee
The BCCI's working committee approves a new legal panel as a "single

point interface for the BCCI to interact with the Justice Lodha
Committee" during the implementation of the report. Former Supreme
Court judge Markandey Katju is appointed head the panel, which also
includes BCCI's counsel Abhinav Mukerjee.
August 7, 2016 - Katju terms Supreme Court order "illegal"
Five days into his new role, Justice Katju calls the July 18 order of
Supreme Court "unconstitutional and illegal". "There has been violation
of principles of the [Indian] Constitution. Under our Constitution, we have
legislature, executive and judiciary. There is broad separation of
functions. It's the legislature's prerogative to make laws. If judiciary starts
making laws, one is setting a dangerous precedent," he says. The
following day, the BCCI files a review petition in the Supreme Court
against the July 18 order.
August 9, 2016 - Lodha Committee issues first set of timelines
BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke meets the Lodha Committee and says the
board will follow the timelines set by the Committee. He also states that
the board has already begun implementing reforms. The deadline for the
first phase is September 30.
August 22, 2016 - BCCI announces AGM on September 21
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The BCCI announces it will conduct the annual general meeting on

September 21. Lodha Committee says the AGM is "meaningless" unless
the BCCI implements the recommendations.
August 31, 2016 - Lodha Committee amends IPL Governing Council

recommendation
The Lodha Committee withdraws its recommendation to have nominees

of two franchises sit on the IPL Governing Council on a rotational basis.
The BCCI had earlier pointed out that this move could lead to conflict of
interest, which the Court said was "evident".
September 1, 2016 - Final set of deadlines for the BCCI
The Lodha Committee issues a second set of guidelines. The BCCI is

directed to hold elections for the Apex Council - to replace the board's
highest-decision making body, the working committee - and conduct its
AGM by December 15. The BCCI also has to form a fresh IPL governing
council by December 30.
September 12, 2016 - ICC refuses to get involved in BCCI-Lodha

tussle
ICC's chief executive David Richardson says that BCCI president

Anurag Thakur had asked the global body to send a letter, asking the
world governing body to clarify whether the reforms of the Lodha
Committee did not amount to government interference in the running of
the Indian board. However ICC chairman Shashank Manohar asks BCCI
to "formally" send the request in writing.
September 21, 2016 - BCCI defies Lodha Committee, pickes

5-member selection panel
The BCCI conducts its AGM and defies one part of the Lodha
Committee's order by picking a five-member selection pane for the
men's, women's and junior teams as opposed to a three-member panel
recommended by the Committee.
September 28, 2016 - Lodha Committee asks Supreme Court to

'supersede' BCCI top brass, Court warns the board
The Lodha Committee's status report to the Supreme Court says
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that the BCCI has created "serious impediments" in the

implementation of reforms and recommends that all existing office-
bearers of the board be replaced by a caretaker panel of
administrators.
Chief Justice of India TS Thakur warns the board to implement the

recommendations. "BCCI thinks it is law unto itself. We know how
to get our orders implemented. BCCI thinks it is the lord. You better
fall in line or we will make you fall in line," Thakur says, giving the
board a week to respond.
The BCCI files a new application, pleading for the Court's July 18
order to be suspended until the Court hears the board's review and
curative petitions against the mandatory implementation of most of
the recommendations.
September 30, 2016 - BCCI misses first Lodha deadline
The BCCI misses the first deadline of September 30, and fails to
adopt the Memorandum of Association and Rules and Regulations
at its SGM, which would trigger the implementation of the Lodha
recommendations. Meanwhile two full members of the board, the
Tripura Cricket Association and the Vidarbha Cricket Association,
unanimously adopt the reforms. The board SGM is pushed to
October 1.
October 1, 2016 - BCCI cherry-picks Lodha

recommendations
At the SGM, the BCCI agrees to implement important

recommendations, but key reforms - the age restriction of 70 years
for board officials, the tenure cap of nine years with cooling-off
periods, and the one-state-one-vote policy, among others - are
missing from the list.
October 3, 2016 - Lodha Committee asks banks to halt two

BCCI transactions
The Lodha Committee asks two Indian banks - Yes Bank and Bank
of Maharashtra - not to disburse funds from the BCCI accounts to
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the state associations with regard to two financial decisions taken

at the board's emergent working committee meeting on September
30.
October 6, 2016 - BCCI given a day to fall in line
The Supreme Court asks the BCCI to submit an undertaking that it

will "unconditionally" implement all the court-approved
recommendations of the Lodha Committee by October 7. The court
indicates that if the board fails to do so, its office bearers could be
replaced with a panel of administrators.
October 7, 2016 - Defiant state associations face funding

cuts
In an interim order, the Supreme Court says no further money

should be given to state associations unless they pass a resolution
to implement the Lodha committee's recommendations.
The interim order stated BCCI had adopted an "an obstructionist

and at times a defiant attitude which the Committee has taken note
of and described as an impediment undermining not only the
Committee but even the dignity of this Court with several
statements and actions which according to the Committee are
grossly out of order and may even constitute contempt."
BCCI president Anurag Thakur is also asked by the court to submit

a personal affidavit clarifying whether he had sought ICC
intervention against implementation of the Lodha Committee's
recommendations.
October 15, 2016 - BCCI opposition continues
At an emergency meeting in Delhi, the board and its members cited

"practical difficulties" in implementing the Lodha Committee's
recommendations. It is learnt that neither the BCCI nor its state
associations could pass a resolution without a two-third majority.
October 17, 2016 - Court reserves order on Lodha

Committee status report
The Supreme Court reserves its order on the Lodha Committee's
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status report, which recommended the BCCI office bearers be

"superseded" and a panel of administrators appointed to
implement the court-approved recommendations. The court calls
such a measure "extreme" but does not relent to the BCCI's
request for more time.
Anurag Thakur files an affidavit denying he had sought a letter from

the ICC saying the Lodha Committee's recommendations were
"tantamount" to government interference in the working of the
board.
October 18, 2016 - Supreme Court adjourns review

petition hearing
The Supreme Court adjourns the hearing of the review petition filed
by the BCCI in August challenging the July 18 order that approved
the recommendations of the Lodha Committee.
October 21, 2016 - Supreme Court limits BCCI's financial

freedom
The Supreme Court passes an order that limits the BCCI's financial
freedom and power until the board and its state associations
comply with the Lodha Committee's recommendations; it directs
the BCCI not to distribute funds to its state associations until they
submit affidavits stating compliance with the recommendations to
the court and the Lodha Committee. It also asks BCCI president
Anurag Thakur and secretary Ajay Shirke to meet the Lodha
Committee before November 3.
November 21, 2016 - Lodha Committee seeks SC nod to

remove BCCI office bearers
The Lodha Committee proposes to the Supreme Court that all

existing office bearers of the BCCI as well as the state associations
who do not satisfy the approved criteria be "disqualified" with
immediate effect.
December 2, 2016 - BCCI continues to oppose certain

reforms
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Notwithstanding the strong missive sent by the Lodha Committee

to the Supreme Court asking it to disqualify all ineligible office
bearers with immediate effect, the BCCI and its members reiterate,
in a Special General Meeting, that they continue to oppose some of
the committee's recommendations.
December 15, 2016 - Anurag Thakur faces possibility of

perjury charge
The Supreme Court of India says there is, on first impression, a

charge of perjury that can be laid against BCCI president Anurag
Thakur and the board's general manager of game development
Ratnakar Shetty for lying under oath.
January 2, 2017 - Supreme Court removes Thakur, Shirke

from top BCCI posts
BCCI president Anurag Thakur and secretary Ajay Shirke are

removed from their posts by the Supreme Court of India at a
hearing in Delhi. The court says a committee of administrators
would be appointed on January 19 to oversee the business
operations of the BCCI. That committee will be finalised by the pair
of amicus curiae Gopal Subramanium and Fali S Nariman.
January 30, 2017 - Supreme Court names administrators

to supervise BCCI
The Supreme Court appoints four eminent personalities from

varying backgrounds to oversee the running of the BCCI until the
board can hold fresh elections for office bearers as per the Lodha
Committee's recommendations. The panel consists of
Ramachandra Guha, the historian and cricket writer, Diana Edulji,
the former India women's captain, Vinod Rai, the former
Comptroller and Auditor General of India, and Vikram Lamaye, CEO
and managing director of IDFC (Infrastructure Development
Finance Corporation).
Nagraj Gollapudi is a senior assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo.
ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
14 of 14 12/05/17, 1:03 PM

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A timeline of the BCCI and Lodha committee reforms case in the Sup... about:reader?url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/india/content/story/10...

In January 2016, Justice RM Lodha and his committee had suggested

On January 4, 2016, RM Lodha, the former Chief Justice of India,

hierarchy of BCCI and its member associations. Consequently, the BCCI

Apr 14, 2015 - 82 questions for BCCI

The Lodha panel sends an 82-point questionnaire to the BCCI to

Jan 4, 2016 - Sweeping reforms unveiled

The Lodha committee recommends a complete overhaul of Indian

With special focus on BCCI's governance and administrative structures,

Setting up of a players' association

A four-member standing committee chaired by former union home

Jan 7, 2016 - BCCI takes the first steps to acknowledge Lodha

Feb 4, 2016 - Supreme Court sets deadline for BCCI

Feb 5, 2016 - BCCI continues to drag its feet

Without spelling his exact reservations, Thakur says the board is

"We need to understand it is not a one-page report. It is a detailed

Feb 19, 2016 - BCCI points out 'anomalies' in Lodha report

Feb 22, 2016 - Mumbai Cricket Association approaches SC

The state associations prepare to fire salvos against the Lodha

Mar 2, 2016 - BCCI details reservations against Lodha report

stating it has implemented some of the recommendations - appointing

Mar 3, 2016 - Court takes exception to BCCI views

On Thakur saying he was not consulted before the recommendations

Responding to the BCCI counsel's argument that a cap on

Apr 5, 2016 - Court slams BCCI's method of disbursing funds

The BCCI appointed Justice AP Shah as ombudsman in November 2015

Apr 8, 2016 - 'Are you refusing to be reformed?'

When BCCI counsel KK Venugopal says the board is beyond the

Apr 19, 2016 - Court rebuffs BCCI take on one-state-one-vote

When counsel for Baroda Cricket Association says implementing the

Apr 26, 2016 - BCCI 'running a prohibitory regime'

cricket club or association wants to do anything, we are least bothered.

May 3, 2016 - 'BCCI constitution incapable of achieving

The Court says the BCCI constitution is "highly incapable of achieving

without changing its structure it can't be done so."

June 30, 2016 - SC decision on Lodha panel report likely in three

The Supreme Court reserves its judgement in the case concerning

July 18, 2016 - SC accepts majority of the Lodha recommendations

The Supreme Court rules in favour of implementing a majority of the

July 20, 2016 - CAB, KSCA call off elections

July 24, 2016 - Sharad Pawar announces he will step down as

August 2, 2016 - BCCI appoints legal panel to liaise with Lodha

The BCCI's working committee approves a new legal panel as a "single

August 7, 2016 - Katju terms Supreme Court order "illegal"

August 9, 2016 - Lodha Committee issues first set of timelines

August 22, 2016 - BCCI announces AGM on September 21

The BCCI announces it will conduct the annual general meeting on

August 31, 2016 - Lodha Committee amends IPL Governing Council

The Lodha Committee withdraws its recommendation to have nominees

September 1, 2016 - Final set of deadlines for the BCCI

The Lodha Committee issues a second set of guidelines. The BCCI is

September 12, 2016 - ICC refuses to get involved in BCCI-Lodha

ICC's chief executive David Richardson says that BCCI president

September 21, 2016 - BCCI defies Lodha Committee, pickes

September 28, 2016 - Lodha Committee asks Supreme Court to

The Lodha Committee's status report to the Supreme Court says

that the BCCI has created "serious impediments" in the

Chief Justice of India TS Thakur warns the board to implement the

September 30, 2016 - BCCI misses first Lodha deadline

October 1, 2016 - BCCI cherry-picks Lodha

At the SGM, the BCCI agrees to implement important

October 3, 2016 - Lodha Committee asks banks to halt two

the state associations with regard to two financial decisions taken